Sentara CEO Kern announces retirement plans
Howard P. Kern, Sentara Healthcare’s president and CEO, announced his planned retirement Friday. A search for his replacement is already underway, the Norfolk-based health system said in a statement, and Kern will stay on until his replacement starts later this year. Having spent 42 years with Sentara in hospital administr[...]
Herndon telehealth company to be acquired
Herndon-based acute care telemedicine provider SOC Telemed Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired and taken private by California-based health care investment firm Patient Square Capital, it announced Thursday. SOC Telemed stockholders will receive $3 in cash per share, which represents a 366.1% premium over SOC Telemed’s closing share price on Wednesday, […]
Virginia Tech breaks ground on $85M Hitt Hall
Virginia Tech leaders and donors broke ground Wednesday on the university‘s $85 million, 100,000-square-foot Hitt Hall, which will house the Myers-Lawson School of Construction. The building, which has an expected completion of spring 2024, will feature general assignment classrooms and a 600-seat multivenue dining facilit[...]
SeaWorld makes $3.4B offer for Kings Dominion parent company
A reported $3.4 billion acquisition bid from Orlando-based SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. could result in Virginia’s two major theme parks being under the same ownership. SeaWorld, parent company of Busch Gardens Williamsburg, has made an unsolicited offer to acquire Ohio-based Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., which owns the Kin[...]
ManTech secures $118M Navy contract
Herndon-based tech contractor ManTech International Corp. has secured a $188 million, five-year contract to support the U.S. Navy’s Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane by providing tech solutions for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance by unmanned aircraft systems. “At ManTech, intelligent systems engineering is a core competency where we excel at developing innovation solutions. … Under this […][...]
Va. Beach launches small biz loan program
The Virginia Beach Small Business Capital Access Program is offering loans of $15,000 to $25,000 to small businesses, with no payments required for the first six months. The program, which is a collaboration between the Virginia Beach Economic Development Department and the Local Initiatives Support Corp. (LISC) of Hampton Roads, provides $400,000 in zero-interest loans […]
GDIT wins $518M Army contract
Falls Church-based General Dynamics Information Technology Inc. (GDIT) won a $518 million task order from the U.S. Army Communications Electronics Command (CECOM), the company announced Monday. Under the Worldwide Field Support task order, the Fortune 500 General Dynamics Corp. subsidiary will provide logistics, sustainment and maintenance services for joint U.S. and coalition forces in the […][...]
Va. Senate committee rejects former EPA chief for Cabinet
The Virginia Senate Privileges and Elections Committee voted 9-6 Tuesday against confirming former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler, Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s appointment for state secretary of natural and historic resources. The vote does not eliminate Wheeler’s chances of confirmation. Young[...]
J.B. Hunt to acquire Bassett Furniture subsidiary for $87M
A subsidiary of Lowell, Arkansas-based transportation company J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a subsidiary of Bassett-based home furniture manufacturer and marketer Bassett Furniture Industries Inc. for $87 million, the companies announced Monday. J.B. Hunt Transport Services&[...]
STEM-ming the tide
Mariah Simmons arrived at Virginia State University in 2016 with a dream of becoming the first computer scientist in her family. The week before school started, she enrolled in an on-campus mentorship program called Project Knowledge, which provided her a road map for navigating college. Simmons, now 23, heard stories from stude[...]
Chrysler Hall plans $76M upgrade
The Broadway blockbuster “Hamilton” generated more than $1.2 million in admissions taxes for Norfolk during its monthlong engagement at Chrysler Hall in December 2019. However, city officials warn that similar productions could bypass Norfolk unless the theater undergoes major renovations. City Manager Chip Filer has propose[...]
The Visionary
The online version of this article includes additional material from Virginia Business’ interview with Pharrell Williams. Pharrell Williams is a 13-time Grammy winner, an Oscar nominee, a fashion designer, a film producer, a music superstar and innovator. He’s also a native Virginian — a point that comes across s[...]